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Adoption and Breastfeeding: A Story of Success

Adoption and Breastfeeding - A Story of Success“So, are you going to breastfeed Abbey?”

It was the beginning of a new school year.  A few weeks prior, I had started homeschooling the children, but today was a special day. It was the first day of our homeschool co-op. I walked into the building to get “The Three Amigos” settled into their new Thursday routine and had plans to enjoy the rest of the day with my new baby girl.

Several weeks prior, she had come to us by way of adoption. So, although I was still a bit sleep deprived when I walked into the church, I was excited to be a new mommy all over again. Many of my friends knew that our daughter had come home but had not met her yet.

Catching my breath before heading to the mini-van and starting my day with just one child in the home, I sat on the deacons bench near the front door. Another adoptive mom, Michele, walked over to me to congratulate me on the arrival of our new daughter and then asked me, “So, are you going to breastfeed Abbey?”

No longer looking down at my precious bundle of joy I whipped my head up to meet her in the eyes and said, “I can’t do that. You know I adopted her!”

“Yes, I know that. But you can breastfeed your adopted baby. You can induce lactation,” she insisted.

I Googled the words: Adoption and Breastfeeding

Not wanting to sound like I didn’t know what she was talking about, I quickly changed the subject. But the minute I got home I Googled the words: “adoption and breastfeeding.”

And what I saw was nothing short of a miracle. I came across wonderful images of white mamas breastfeeding their brown babies. I even saw one picture where a mother nursed two adopted children at the same time.

I was beyond curious as to how this could be. It was obvious that she hadn’t given birth to them, but in spite of that fact, she was nursing them.

Can I do this? If I could, then how does it work? Is there anyone that I can talk to who has done this?

Looking for Breastfeeding Support

So the next day, I contacted our local La Leche League and explained to them that I had adopted a newborn and wanted to know if they could give breastfeeding support. Our local branch didn’t have anyone in our state, but the lactation consultant that I had spoken with knew of someone in another state who had adopted and breastfed her babies. And get this: she has never conceived in her life! Now I was even more confused than before.

How can you breastfeed and have never given birth? (I’ll cover that in another post.) But I called her and left a voice message.

A few days later, we were able connect. I vividly remember the call. It was in the evening and my husband was home. I isolated myself in the room and picked her brain to pieces. She was a wealth of information. She shared how she had never been pregnant but nursed her two adopted sons. One son came home to her at birth and the other from China was less than a year old. Both boys successfully nursed for over a year.

When the Milk Came In

I was so encouraged by her testimony that I knew that I also wanted to breastfeed my baby girl. So, over the next few weeks I did exactly what she told me to do. I pumped; I put her on the breast often and I did my herbal supplements. And then it happened. It was about three weeks of actively working to induce lactation and it happened!

My milk came in. I had just taken a shower and could feel the sensation of “let down”.  Having three homegrown kids whom I nursed, I knew what it felt like to have my “milk come in.” In my excitement, I ran out of the shower and told my husband, “Come and look!  My milk has come in.”

He wasn’t quite as excited as I was, but he was supportive nonetheless.

Since I didn’t have all the pregnancy hormones working in my body, it wasn’t gushing out like it had with my other children, but it was enough to reward Abbey for all her sucking.

I continued to nurse her for the first year after she came home to us.


Pam.jpgAnyone who has met Pam Andrews knows she loves Jesus more than anything else. Pam is a mover and shaker and knows how to get things done for the LORD. Her adoption journey began with a telephone call and within twenty-four hours she was a new mother again, to a newborn baby girl. Pam and her husband have been married nineteen years and have four children. In addition to being a homeschool mother who is active in her local support group, Pam is also a fitness instructor and a health coach, and owns a fitness studio. Pam has a heart for the orphan and those who grow their families through adoption and foster care. She has founded Joy for the Journey Ministries, a ministry to encourage and inspire adoptive moms in their life’s journey.

Comments

  1. What an amazing story!

  2. My sister-in-law was able to nurse my adopted nephew when he was born a preemie – it was amazing! They don’t even have any other kids! 🙂 God is AMAZING. 🙂

  3. I would love to know what herbal supplements she took – we are in the process of adoption and I would really like to breastfeed!

  4. I bf our adopted baby from when we brought him home from hospital. It was months of herbs and pumping but when he latched on I produced right away. My issue was quantity for feeding every 2 hours. I went to a bf guru who gave me other supplements and that was the fix. I had great support though and it made a huge difference.

    • Rachel Fitzgerald says

      Can you tell me what Herbs you used? I too have a baby we are adopting at birth in 3 months, so hard to find ny info on this. Thank you!

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